The Campfire Bar
by potter-demigoddess
Summary: Annabeth works part time at the college bar, The Campfire, Percy has just started singing there on the weekends with his band. Initially started of as a one shot but I think I might write a couple of chapters for it.
1. I Love The Ocean

_Annabeth works part time at the college bar, Percy has just started singing there on the weekends with his band._

Annabeth started her shift as she normally did, she put on a waist apron, checked in with the manager and got behind the bar. It was the weekend so she was expecting it to be a busy night. She worked part time as a bartender/waitress at the college bar, The Camp Fire. It was a nice enough place, mostly filled with college students and the vibe on the weekend was especially nice because the bar had a small stage where local bands can get scheduled to play a few sets.

It was still early in the night, only about seven people total in the place, but in a couple hours this place would be packed, and at 8 the bands would start coming on. She was pretty sure there were about four groups scheduled to play tonight. Usually, the bands were pretty good, they played covers and on occasion they played original songs.

Soon enough the place was packed, Annabeth could hardly keep up with people at the bar and on the scattered tables. The first band had just finished and Annabeth was counting the hours until she could get home to work on her the two papers she was assigned today. Friday nights she worked until closing at 1AM and it was only 9pm now. She didn't mind working at The Camp Fire, the manager, Chiron, was a great guy, he helped Annabeth out where he could and he paid well. She had started working here her freshman year as a waitress, now a senior, she had learned to tend bar as well, thanks to Chiron, who thought she could use the skill so she could be paid a bit more.

The night wore on and Annabeth was getting pretty tired, but she was used it. At around 11:30 the final band came on, a new band, called Seaweed. She thought it was silly name, who thinks Seaweed is a good name for a band?

A group of 3 people came on stage, a blond guy with glasses was on the keyboard, a guy in a Rasta cap was on the drums, and a dark-haired guy came to stand at the mic with a guitar in hand. They were pretty good Annabeth thought, just as Chiron came by and said pretty much the same thing, "I like them, they have a good sound. Might even invite them back some time. Do you know them, I think they said they go to your Uni"

"Yeah they are pretty great. Nope, I don't recognize them, what are their names?" Annabeth replied.

"Guy on the drums is Grover, Jason on keyboard, and Percy on guitar and singing."

"Yeah, I definitely don't know them."

"I can introduce you if you're a fan" he said teasingly.

Annabeth rolled her eyes "I don't need you to make friends" she said laughing.

"I'm just offering to introduce you, it's not like I'm setting you up to date one of them!"

"Oh god, please not again, you're the worse at, remember the last time you tried to get me to go out with that guy, Luke was it? We all know how well that turned out"

"I'm sorry about that, he seemed like a nice guy when he played here, I thought you guys would get on well together."

"I'll get my own dates from now on thank you very much! Anyways, it's not like I have time for guy right now anyways, school is kicking my ass!"

"Hey, if I can help in any way let me know, alright."

"Thanks C!"

"Alright, get back to work!" He said, walking away.

The band finished playing around 12:20, and they were really good. When they finished they packed up their instruments and went out back, presumably to put their instruments in a van.

The crowd was thinning now, and she was calling out for last orders when a guy sat at the bar in front of her. A familiar guy. Percy, the singer for the band that just played. Up close he was even more handsome, and by the looks of it, he knew it. He had the most amazing green eyes Annabeth had ever seen, coupled with the dark hair and amazing jawline, he looked drop dead gorgeous.

He gave Annabeth a dazzling smile, "I'd like a rum and coke please"

She fixed up his drink and brought it over, just as she was about to turn around to do something else so she wouldn't stand their staring at him, he said "I'm Percy Jackson, I'm in the band Seaweed, we were just performing, I wanted to ask what you thought of us?"  
She smiled, "Yeah! You guys were great! But what kind of name is Seaweed, who thought of that?" She said in a slightly teasing manner.

He pretended to be affronted "Hey! What's wrong with Seaweed?"

She laughed "I see, I take it you're the brain behind 'Seaweed?'"

He shrugged, and looked thoughtful "I like the ocean, I thought it fit."

"I take it back then Seaweed Brain, it's a great band name."

"Seaweed brain, is it?" he replied in a flirty tone, "So, you can call me Seaweed Brain, and I don't even know your name?"

"Maybe I'll tell you before you leave", she said in an equally flirty tone. Who was she? She didn't normally flirt with random guys at the bar. There was something about Percy though that just made her relax. Almost as though she'd known him forever. He was just so easy to talk to.

Just then Chiron walked by, saying "Annabeth, make sure to refill the fridges before you head home for the night" Wait to go Chiron, Annabeth thought to herself.

Annabeth looked to the ceiling, cursing Chiron a little for ruining the fun she was having and said "Will do!"

When she looked at Percy he was smiling wide "I take it you're Annabeth?"

She couldn't help it, she laughed and raised her hands up as if she'd just been caught in the middle of committing a crime "The jig is up" He laughed along, she sobered up and said "Yes, Annabeth Chase, nice to meet you" She held out her hand to shake his.

But it seemed he had other ideas, he caught her hand in his and pulled it to his mouth, looking into her eyes, emerald green to stormy grey, he pressed a light kiss to the back of her hand. Her breath caught and she felt a tingly all over, who does that she thought to herself. As if that wasn't enough he kept her hand in his a few more seconds as he flashed another mesmerizing smile and said "Nice to meet you Annabeth Chase, I have a feeling we're going to be great friends."


	2. See You Around

You know that weird thing that happens when you meet someone and then you start running into them _everywhere_. That's what happened after Annabeth met Percy Jackson at The Camp Fire Bar after his band performed there last week. They had talked a bit at the bar but then she made an excuse about having to start closing down the place, he took the hint and left, telling her 'he'd see her around' she didn't think it would actually happen though.

She first ran into him at the coffee shop near the science building at the university on Monday morning. He was standing right in front her in the line, she didn't recognize him immediately, but he pivoted slightly and must have caught her from the corner of his emerald eyes and did an almost comical double take. His eyes lit up in recognition, a smile spreading on his face and he twisted the whole way around to greet her.

"Annabeth Chase!" he said slowly and grinning, "Fancy seeing you here, how you are?"

Her initial surprise at running into him abated and she gave him a small smile, "Hi Percy" she said a little shyly, her confident flirting from the night before gone in the light of day. "I'm great! Just getting a coffee before heading to class"

"Same, weird that we've never run in to each other here before. I'm sure I would have remembered seeing you in here" he said lightly.

Annabeth blushed, "I don't usually come in here, just when I've run out of coffee at home or something"

"That must be it, because I'm here nearly every day, what class do you have?" Annabeth didn't get a chance to answer, it was at this moment that It was his turn to order, he looked back at her "Pick your poison, drinks on me" Annabeth was just about to open her mouth to object but he raised his hand and said "No objections, I insist"

Annabeth looked at him for a second trying to decide if she should object but she could see in the set of his face he was not going to back down about this so she said "Fine. Double shot espresso"

He grinned and added his order "One caramel latte, please." He paid for the drinks, and they walked together to the side to pick up their order.

"Thank you, you didn't have to do that"

"I wanted to" he smiled, why did he have to have such a great smile Annabeth thought, she was pretty sure he could have convinced her to do anything with that smile. "You didn't end up telling me, what class is it you're off to?"

"Physics, I'm and architecture student."

"That sounds pretty cool, I can totally imagine you building a city."

"Thanks, that's kinda what I want to do… What about you?"

"I've got organic chemistry, I'm majoring in Marine Biology"

"So, you really do love the ocean, Seaweed Brain" she laughed a little, it was so easy to tease him, it fit him she though.

"Guilty as charged, I've loved sea creatures and animals my whole life so it seemed like an obvious choice."

Their coffee ready they started heading out the door. "I guess I'll see you around then" she said, looking at the time she really needed to get to class.

"Wait" He said hesitantly, "We're heading in the same direction, will let me walk you to class?"

He seemed to have gone shy around her, it only made her like him more, she smiled up at him, and said "Sure, I'd like that"

On the way to class they exchanged numbers.

Although they now had each other's number's they didn't text each other, at least not right away. The thing is, they kind of didn't have to, because she ran into him at the market later that evening. Literally. They ran into each other. As in body's crashing together, supermarket baskets dropping to the ground and spilling items everywhere.

Here's how it went, Annabeth stopped at the market on the way home to grab a few things (mainly, coffee, can't live without it!). As she was perusing the isles she was rounding the corner and looking at the enticing chocolate bars on the shelves when she felt herself crash into something. Scratch that. _Someone._ Not just anyone, _Percy Jackson_ , with fast reflexes he grabbed her bicep with his hand before she fell backwards. That didn't stop their two baskets from hitting each other and dropping to the ground spilling a few items here and there. Disoriented from hitting his hard chest ( _also his hand, his and was still on her)_ , and completely dumbstruck at seeing him yet again, she started rambling "Um…Percy…hey… so sorry…didn't mean to bump into you…sorry…are you alright?"

He seemed just as surprised to run into her here, "hey, no worries, it was my bad, I'm so sorry. Are you okay?". His hand rubbed lightly on her in a comforting gesture, and he leaned down to look into her eyes to check she was alright.

Finally getting hold of herself, except not really because _his hand was still on_ her and she could almost feel a current running through her at their point of contact. Annabeth said "yeah, I'm fine." But she sounded a little breathless and unsure.

"It's crazy how we keep meeting up like this" he seemed completely at ease, "you sure you're not stalking me or something" he said, clearly joking.

"I was going to ask you the same thing!" Annabeth laughed, "Must be fate or something…"

"Might be" He said slowly.

"Well…I've got to head home..." She liked seeing him again, and she didn't really want to leave but she really did need to get home. "I guess…I'll see you around"

"Yeah"

She wanted to go but she felt like her shoes were glued to the floor, because he was still looking intently at her. Let's not forget his hand which was still on her. They stood in silence for a few seconds, just looking at each other. Annabeth broke eye contact first, slipped out of his hold and bent to the ground to pick up her things and put them in to the basket. The spell breaking, he bent down to help her and get his own things.

"Catch you later" he said

"Bye" She said, with a last lingering look.

She didn't see him the next day, but the day after that he texted.

 _Percy: Hey Annabeth!_

She was surprised at how excited she became after two words from him.

 _Annabeth: Hi_

 _Percy: How have you been? Crash into anyone lately? :P_

 _Annabeth: LOL! Nope! I'm doing well, and you?_

 _Percy: All good_

 _Percy: I wanted to ask you something_

Annabeth's heart rate immediately spiked.

 _Annabeth: Sure_

 _Percy: Hope you don't think this is too forward, but, do you want to go for dinner tonight?_

To say Annabeth was freaking out would be an understatement, is he actually asking her out? Does she actually want to go? She quickly realized that, yes, yes she did want to out with. Even with her busy schedule of school and work she felt like there was something between them.

 _Annabeth: Like a date?_

 _Percy: Exactly like a date_

 _Annabeth: I'd like that._

They were going on a date.


End file.
